Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in New Orleans

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in New Orleans? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Bon Sake Sushi & Bar

4.9

4.9 (84)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Covington

About the restaurant

BON SAKE sushi & bar
Sushi Restaurant
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11:00am-9:00pm • Fri & Sat 11:00am-10:30pm

We look forward to serving you.

Top review

RobynVIP

Dined on Jan 5, 2025

Bon Sake is the best sushi!! Every dish is delicious!

Mayas

4.8

4.8 (619)

$30 and under

Latin American

Garden District

About the restaurant

Mayas Restaurant is a captivating Latin dining experience with exciting social rhythms. We feature the cuisines of multiple countries of Latin American, but rather than simply transferring dishes we pay compliment to the ingredients that are natural to Latin America. Our food is prepared from scratch using classic and modern techniques but always remembering the aromas and flavors of our mother's and grandmother's kitchen. We invite you to choose your own escapade by selecting from our Plantains, Ceviches, Empanadas, Curries, Steaks, and Small Plates for a multi-course dining experience.

Top review

Louis

Dined 3 days ago

Looking for a quick meal, I asked opentable what was nearby and I was recommended Mayas. Since we had never been there before we decided to give it a try. The meal was fantastic. We started with a bottle of sangria and ordered two appetizers. The appetizers were huge and delicious! I can only recommend things that we tried, and there are so many wonderful choices, but try the seafood tostones... my god they are good. After the apps we were feeling pretty full and wanted to try one more appetizer. We told the server that we really wanted to try the ropa vieja but didn't think we could eat it. She said that that dish was actually smaller than the appetizers we had so we got it.. Delicious! There are so many more things on the menu that we want to try and we can't wait to go back. The place is small and very nice. Our first table was a bit wobbly, but as soon as a different table opened up they moved us over to that one. The server was very nice and was eager to tell us about all of the menu items. Highly recommend that you check out Mayas as soon as you can!

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Popular dish

Ceviche De Dorado

Desi Vega Steakhouse Covington

4.8

4.8 (1006)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Covington

About the restaurant

Thank you for choosing Desi Vega’s Steakhouse Northshore, located in the heart of Covington.

If your preferred reservation time is not available through Open Table, please call the restaurant directly to check availability at (985) 276-4994.

Our dining experience is also available at the Bar. Bar seats are on a first come first serve basis.

Top review

Aaliyah

Dined today

Our first time visiting this location and absolutely loved it! Carson, our waiter, was outstanding & very informative. The food was great. We’ll definitely be back!

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Prime Steak Egg Rolls

Peacock Room at The Hotel Fontenot

4.8

4.8 (783)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Warehouse District

About the restaurant

Effortlessly blending the eccentric personality of New Orleans’ bar culture with the old-world charm and sophistication of a classic social club, Peacock Room delivers a bright and vibrant feel during the day and a sexy, moody atmosphere come sundown, perfect for an afternoon aperitif, social dinner or an end-of-evening nightcap. The bar is stocked with everything from the classics to hard-to-find spirits, with an impressive collection of rum and madeira and an emphasis on drinks that are light and floral. The sipping is complemented by an elevated selection of small plates from Chef Samuel Peery that feature refined shareable interpretations of regional and international classics.

Top review

Jenn

Dined on Jan 4, 2025

Bring your family, friends and order the expresso martini tree! From the brunch tower to Nicky our amazing server, our service was excellent and we cannot wait to return.

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4.7

4.7 (227)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Chalmette

About the restaurant

Casual American spot with sandwiches & salads for lunch & heartier fare for dinner, plus a full bar.

Top review

WilliamVIP

Dined 4 days ago

I took my wife and granddaughter last night and both the food and service were EXCELLENT!! We had chargrilled oysters, the pork chop and my 11 year old granddaughter had child’s pizza. We were not disappointed and really enjoyed everything. I highly recommend MeMe’s for any occasion

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Experience

Foxen Wine Dinner

Superior Grill - New Orleans

4.7

4.7 (735)

$30 and under

Mexican

Uptown

About the restaurant

Add some real spice to your life! Superior Grill has been rated consistently as one of Louisiana’s best Mexican restaurants since 1983 when our first establishment opened in Shreveport. Our New Orleans location opened in 1997 and has become a landmark in fine quality foods with a festive Mexican atmosphere. Superior’s authentic Tex-Mex food is made from scratch every day with only the freshest ingredients. Our tortillas are hand-rolled with care all day long. For added flavor, all of our meats are cooked over a mesquite grill. We are proud of what we make and how we prepare it. Superior Grill is “the place to be” for happy hour, birthdays, office parties, and large groups. In addition to our festive indoor dining room, we offer a memorable outdoor dining experience on our landscaped patio featuring beautiful flowers and one of the best views of St. Charles Avenue. Superior Grill New Orleans is one of four locations including Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Birmingham.

Top review

Natasha

Dined 3 days ago

It was a lot of fun and the food was great!! We’ll go back for sure.

Monday Restaurant + Bar

4.6

4.6 (899)

$31 to $50

American

Mid-City / City Park

About the restaurant

Located in one of New Orleans’ most historic neighborhoods, Mid-City, Monday is an indoor/outdoor dining destination crafted by renowned restauranteurs, Larry Morrow and Lenora Chong, and is a must-visit for anyone seeking the best in American Cuisine and Happy Hour Specials in the city.

The bar menu includes everything from exclusive crafted cocktails to bottle service to all-day Happy Hour specials on Mondays.

More than just a dining venue, Monday promises to deliver a singular blend of excellent food, innovative cocktails, and one-of-a-kind experiences, making it the perfect Event Hosting and Brunch Spot.

Monday is open for lunch and dinner six days a week.

NOTE:

For large party bookings (8+ people) and private events, email reservations@mondaynola.com.

Top review

Zackeus

Dined on Jan 3, 2025

Experience was A1! KJ was amazing and so attentive!

Galliano

4.5

4.5 (937)

$50 and over

Creole / Cajun / Southern

Warehouse District

About the restaurant

Traditional southern Louisiana fare: these dishes are typically found in the homes of the Cajun people of the Bayou Lafourche region- real Cajun soul food.

Top review

DonVIP

Dined on Jan 2, 2025

Great food and service. The pork chop was outstanding

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Happy Hour at Galliano

Cafe Normandie at The Higgins

4.5

4.5 (68)

$31 to $50

French American

Warehouse District

About the restaurant

Indulge in sophisticated French-influenced casual fare in the Higgins Hotel's full-service restaurant.

Top review

Steve and Edie

Dined on Jan 3, 2025

Such amazing food! We loved the redfish and crab and beignets!

Good Catch | Thai Urban Bistro

4.5

4.5 (74)

$31 to $50

Thai

Central Business District

About the restaurant

Authentic Thai bistro offering a unique lunch, happy hour, and dinner experience - your oasis in the heart of New Orleans Central Business District. Specializing in Thai seafood dishes that highlight the abundance of locally-availability fresh Gulf fish and seafood. With a full Thai menu and a creative bar menu designed to accompany the tropical flavors of Thai food and the New Orleans cultural heritage, Executive Chef Aom Srisuk brings together the best flavors of the East with the best of the Big Easy. Good Catch is the sister restaurant to our smaller but more established uptown restaurant Pomelo.

Two blocks from Canal Street, and one-and-a-half blocks to St. Charles Ave. and less than a block away from the uptown (green) streetcar line. Short walk to the Saenger, Orpheum, Roosevelt, Ritz Carlton, and so much more.

Authentic Thai | Gulf Seafood Specialties | Savory Sips | Lunch / Dinner / Happy Hour

Plenty of space to host your party, or let us cater your next event!

Top review

Tom

Dined on Dec 29, 2024

A new find this year while in NOLA, will certainly be back!

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